Devils Stomp Stars 5-3

Published 8:00 pm, Friday, December 20, 2002

Jeff Friesen scored the go-ahead goal on a giveaway by Dallas goaltender Marty Turco and John Madden scored twice to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 5-3 over the usually stingy Stars on Saturday.

Former Star Jamie Langenbrunner added a goal and two assists in his first game against his former teammates. Oleg Tverdovsky also scored as the Devils matched their season high for goals.

Bill Guerin scored twice and Manny Malhotra once for the Dallas, which had 25 shots at Martin Brodeur. The five goals allowed tied the most given up by the Stars in a game this season.

Turco came into the game with a 9-2-4 record in his last 15 starts, having allowed only one even strength goal in his last 257 minutes. He was lucky to get out of New Jersey giving up only five.

The one that decided the game came midway through the second period after the Stars wiped out a 2-0 deficit on goals by Malhotra and Guerin.

Patrik Elias fired a puck into the Dallas' zone from center ice and Turco played it behind the net. He backhanded a pass toward the corner, but Elias intercepted it and found Friesen for an empty net goal.

Madden stretched the lead to 4-2 at 5:56. Turco again was at fault leaving a huge rebound on a shot by defenseman Brian Rafalski.

Madden's goal was needed because the Stars' rallied in the closing minutes.

Guerin scored at 14:37 after a questionable penalty call against Tverdovsky.

After the goal, Madden complained to the officials and picked up an unsportsmanlike call, putting Dallas back on the power play.

Former Devils Jason Arnott had a chance in close, but Brodeur came up big.

Madden iced the game with 1:53 to go, scoring on a 2-on-1 break.

Turco finished with 27 saves on 32 shots. He had a 1.63 goals against average coming into the game.

Notes:@ Scott Stevens had two assists and now has a Devils record 318, two more than Bruce driver… Elias' assist on Friesen's goal was only his second point in nine games … New Jersey has not scored a powerplay goal in 12 games, going 0-for-32 in the span … The loss was only the Stars' fifth in 23 games (12-5-6-0). Dallas is now 2-1-2 in its last five.